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WTKR (channel 3) is a television station licensed to Norfolk, Virginia, United States, serving the Hampton Roads area as an affiliate of CBS. It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside Portsmouth-licensed WGNT (channel 27), an independent station. The two stations share studios on Boush Street near downtown Norfolk; WTKR's transmitter is located in Suffolk, Virginia.

Key Information

The station was founded as WTAR-TV by radio station WTAR and began broadcasting on April 2, 1950; it aired on channel 4 until it moved to channel 3 in 1954. It was the only television station in Hampton Roads for its first three years, having been one of the last new station permits awarded before a years-long freeze on station grants by the Federal Communications Commission, and dominated local news ratings for more than 30 years. The station's ownership, which also included The Virginian-Pilot and Ledger-Star newspapers, reorganized as Landmark Communications in 1967.

In 1969, a group of Norfolk lawyers challenged the broadcast license of WTAR-TV in a decade-long dispute that involved several issues, including business dealings of the co-owned Norfolk newspapers and cross-ownership of newspapers and TV stations. The dispute ended in 1979 with a commitment by Landmark to sell the television station within two years. In 1981, Knight-Ridder acquired the station and changed the call sign to WTKR. During Knight-Ridder's ownership, the station's news ratings declined; though they recovered for some time under Narragansett Television in the late 1980s and early 1990s, they fell again during the 12-year ownership tenure of The New York Times Company.

Local TV LLC acquired The New York Times Company's television stations, including WTKR, in 2007. The general manager launched a push to "Take Norfolk Back"; Local TV acquired WGNT in 2010, and WTKR increased its share of market advertising revenue and its news ratings. When the Tribune Company acquired Local TV LLC in 2013, the license was transferred to another company, Dreamcatcher Broadcasting, to satisfy cross-ownership concerns; however, Tribune continued providing services to the station. Scripps purchased WTKR and WGNT in 2019 as part of divestitures from Tribune's sale to Nexstar Media Group. The WTKR newsroom produces 46 hours a week of news programs for the two stations.

History

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Early history

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1950 advertisement for the new facility to be occupied by WTAR and recently started WTAR-TV[3]

On April 21, 1948, the WTAR Radio Corporation—owner of WTAR (790 AM) and associated with Norfolk's two daily newspapers, The Virginian-Pilot and the Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch—applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a construction permit to build a new television station on channel 4 in Norfolk.[4] The FCC made a conditional grant to WTAR on August 18, 1948; that day, the station announced it would build a new radio and television complex to house its radio operations and the new channel 4.[5] The station divulged more details of the project the next month, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of WTAR radio:[6] it would be a three-story facility encompassing a television studio, a theater with seating for 175, and a 400 feet (120 m) transmitter tower for the TV station.[7] The FCC upgraded the conditional grant to a regular grant on October 7;[4] days before, the commission imposed a freeze on new TV station grants to sort out possible changes to television broadcast standards.[8]

As construction proceeded on the Boush Street facility, in July 1949, work began on the transmitter tower at the site. WTAR-TV also secured a primary affiliation with NBC; network programming would arrive in Norfolk via a microwave transmission system from Richmond, which was on the coaxial cable network for the broadcast of network TV shows.[9] A mobile unit for televising programs outside the studio arrived in Norfolk in December,[10] while the station began broadcasting a test pattern daily on March 1, 1950.[11]

WTAR-TV formally began broadcasting on April 2, 1950, as the first television station in southeastern Virginia, broadcasting to 600 area TV sets.[12] That evening, 1,800 people filled the Center Theater for the station's inaugural program. Nineteen local programs, ranging from children's shows to an all-Black variety show,[13] were among channel 4's first local productions.[12] In addition to NBC, the station aired programs from the other three television networks of the day: CBS, ABC, and DuMont, channel 4 joining the latter a month and a half after it started.[13][14][15] WTAR-TV was the first station to use the Boush Street facility; WTAR radio moved in June 1950, and the building was not dedicated until September.[16][17] By the station's first anniversary, WTAR-TV was airing 30 local shows, representing ten hours of output a week, and more than half the top TV shows in the country.[12]

In April 1952, the FCC lifted the freeze after three and a half years with major changes to television allocations, including the addition of ultra high frequency (UHF) channels to the existing 12 in the very high frequency (VHF) band and new station spacing requirements. In doing so, it made a total of 30 changes to the channels of existing stations, including WTAR-TV, which would be moved from channel 4 to channel 3.[18] WTAR-TV was successful in rebuffing the originally proposed relocation to channel 8[18] or 12, both high-band VHF channels that would have required additional changes in transmitter equipment; instead, it received channel 3, which had originally been allocated to Richmond. However, WTAR-TV would not make the channel switch for more than two years, as it paired the channel change with the installation of a new, 1,049 feet (320 m) tower and maximum-power transmitter facility near Driver.[19] The new tower was touted as the highest man-made structure in Virginia.[20] The channel switch took place on May 1, 1954. On that day, the station held a beauty pageant at the transmitter site, crowning a North Carolina woman "Miss WTAR-TV"; the Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch called the new tower the tallest maypole in the world.[21]

The end of the freeze also unblocked the development of other TV stations in the Hampton Roads area surrounding Norfolk. By October 1952, there were eight applications on file with the FCC for four channels, both VHF and UHF, in Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Newport News.[22] With station construction in the pipeline, the WTAR Radio Corporation opted to change its radio and TV stations to primary CBS affiliates beginning in September 1953.[23] NBC signed with a new-to-air station in Hampton, WVEC-TV (then channel 15), the next month.[24] ABC did likewise in September and affiliated with the new WTOV-TV (channel 27) in Portsmouth.[25] However, ABC and DuMont continued to also be affiliated with WTAR-TV.[26] DuMont ceased its existence as a network in 1955,[27] while a full-time ABC affiliate debuted when WAVY-TV signed on channel 10 in 1957.[28]

In 1967, Norfolk-Portsmouth Newspapers—which owned the two Norfolk daily newspapers, the WTAR stations, and WFMY-TV in Greensboro, North Carolina, among other holdings—was reorganized as Landmark Communications.[29]

License challenge

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In 1969, WTAR-TV's broadcast license came up for renewal at the FCC. Three members of a Norfolk law firm—Gordon E. Campbell, Wayne Lustig, and I. L. Hancock—formed the Hampton Roads Television Corporation and proceeded to file a competing application for a license to broadcast on channel 3. At the time, several incumbent broadcasters in other markets across the U.S. were facing competing "strike" applications for their channels.[30] In January 1970, the FCC designated WTAR-TV's renewal and Hampton Roads Television's application for comparative hearing.[31] Hampton Roads Television also challenged a new FCC policy on comparative hearings which resulted in an appeals court ruling and a redesignation of the WTAR-TV license challenge hearing.[32]

In 1973, FCC administrative law judge David Kraushaar recommended that the commission renew WTAR-TV's license. However, on appeal, the FCC Broadcast Bureau asked for reconsideration, citing lawsuits against Landmark and related companies in Virginia concerning the alleged publication of false information about a failing savings and loan whose director was one of Landmark's officers. It believed this issue called the company's character into question.[33] In August 1974, the FCC remanded the case to the administrative law judge after Hampton Roads Television claimed that Landmark intentionally waited to make a change in senior management until after the initial decision.[34] Kraushaar ruled in January 1975, finding the management change had no effect on his comparative selection of WTAR-TV over Hampton Roads Television.[35] However, the commission reopened the comparative hearing and added a character issue against Landmark.[36]

In 1979, Landmark reached an agreement with Hampton Roads Television. It reimbursed the challengers for their expenses in exchange for them dropping the ten-year-old challenge. Additionally, the company committed to sell WTAR-TV within two years, retaining ownership of the Norfolk newspapers and radio stations.[37] In announcing the agreement, Landmark chairman Frank Batten cited FCC policy encouraging the unwinding of situations where newspapers and TV stations in the same market were co-owned as well as the drain of continued litigation in the license challenge; Lustig and Campbell noted they were less interested in running a TV station than ten years prior and that their law practice had expanded.[38] Landmark initially reached an agreement with Scripps-Howard Broadcasting in April 1980 to swap WTAR-TV for WMC-TV in Memphis, Tennessee. Like Landmark in Norfolk, Scripps-Howard was looking to reduce its cross-ownership load in Memphis, where it owned AM and FM radio stations and the city's two daily newspapers.[39] Two months later, the deal fell apart for economic reasons; Landmark, which was required to dispose of WTAR-TV by March 1, 1981, put the station on the market.[40]

Knight-Ridder and Narragansett ownership

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In August 1980, Landmark entered into an agreement with Knight-Ridder to purchase WTAR-TV for $48.3 million, which was higher than what Landmark was reportedly seeking for the station.[41][42] Knight-Ridder took over control of channel 3 on March 3, 1981, and changed the call sign to WTKR.[43]

By 1988, Knight-Ridder owned eight stations. That October, the company announced its intent to sell its station group to reduce a $929 million debt load[44] and finance a $353 million acquisition of online information provider Dialog Information Services.[45] Narragansett Television acquired WTKR and WPRI-TV in Providence, Rhode Island, from Knight-Ridder in 1989 for $150 million.[46][47]

Narragansett put the two stations on the market in late 1994; the company had not intended to sell but began taking offers after receiving several unsolicited expressions of interest. Narragansett chairman Jonathan Nelson stated, "[W]e feel we have a fiduciary responsibility to respond to inquiries from well-qualified prospective buyers."[48] The New York Times Company acquired WTKR in 1995, making it the company's largest-market television property.[49]

Local TV and Dreamcatcher/Tribune ownership

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On January 4, 2007, The New York Times Company sold WTKR and its eight sister television stations to Local TV LLC, a holding company operated by private equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners, for $530 million;[50] the sale was finalized on May 7.[51] Local TV LLC shared broadcast group management with the Tribune Company, by way of The Other Company, run by Tribune executive Randy Michaels.[52] During this time, in 2010, Local TV LLC acquired WGNT (channel 27), the local affiliate of The CW, from the CBS Television Stations group.[53] The station also increased its share of Hampton Roads-market TV advertising revenue by five percentage points from 2008 to 2012.[54]

On July 1, 2013, Local TV announced that its 19 stations would be acquired by the Tribune Company, the owner of the Daily Press in Newport News, for $2.75 billion;[55] Since this would conflict with FCC regulations that prohibit newspaper-television cross-ownership within a single market,[56] Tribune spun off WTKR and WGNT, as well as WNEP-TV in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to Dreamcatcher Broadcasting, an unrelated company owned by former Tribune Company executive Ed Wilson. Tribune provided services to the stations through a shared services agreement and held an option to buy back WTKR and WGNT outright in the future.[57] The sale was completed on December 27.[58] Dreamcatcher continued to own the stations even though Tribune completed a split of its broadcasting and publishing businesses into separate companies in 2014.[59]

Aborted sale to Sinclair; sale to Nexstar and resale to Scripps

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Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of MyNetworkTV affiliate WTVZ-TV (channel 33), entered into an agreement to acquire Tribune Media in 2017. Sinclair would have had to select one of WGNT or WTVZ-TV to keep alongside WTKR; no divestiture plan was announced.[60] However, the transaction was designated in July 2018 for hearing by an FCC administrative law judge, and Tribune moved to terminate the deal in August 2018.[61]

In 2019, Nexstar Media Group, owner of WAVY-TV and WVBT, announced it would acquire Tribune.[62] Nexstar opted to retain its existing stations and sold WTKR–WGNT to the E. W. Scripps Company.[63][64]

News operation

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WTAR-TV began airing news at the start of its history. The original newscast, Telenews, aired for 15 minutes a day, five days a week; it provided local news coverage including photography from the co-owned Norfolk newspapers.[12] The station spent decades dominating local news ratings in Hampton Roads. In 1974, it drew more news viewers than WAVY and WVEC combined; it had the largest news staff of the three stations in town and the highest pay for news department employees, leading Mike Smith of its newspaper sister, The Virginian-Pilot, to call it the "news Goliath" of Hampton Roads. Though it also had the most conservative presentation style in the market, it had led every ratings period since records had been kept due to being ingrained in the viewing habits of longtime residents. The other stations generally attracted viewers who were new to the region.[65]

As late as 1980, channel 3 held an 18-percentage point lead over WVEC at 6 p.m. However, in the early 1980s, immediately after the sale to Knight-Ridder, WTKR's ratings declined, leading to a more competitive ratings race among all three major stations for news coverage. By 1985, WTKR was in second place in the time slot behind either WAVY or WVEC, depending on the ratings survey.[66] Management responded to declining ratings by firing some talent and shuffling around others, which only exacerbated the ratings slide.[67] The station continued to find itself in second place for its early and late evening news programs in the late 1980s.[68][69]

Ratings recovered somewhat in the first half of the 1990s. Several new talent hires, including longtime market meteorologist Dr. Duane Harding and sportscaster Bob Rathbun, were part of the formula that lifted WTKR to its first 6 p.m. win in six years in 1990.[70] Rathbun departed after being named the play-by-play voice of the Detroit Tigers beginning in 1992.[71][72] The Hampton Roads news ratings became a "horse race"; in the Nielsen survey for November 1993, WTKR led at noon, 5, and 6 p.m. and was a close second at 11.[73]

A major reimaging effort in 1994, however, derailed the station's news ratings, which were already starting to fall. Under news director Barbara L. Hamm, the station rebranded from Eyewitness News to TV3 News and introduced a new set and faster format.[74] The station's ratings at 6 fell from first to third place.[75] After the New York Times Company purchased the station in 1995, it made major changes to its lineup of anchors.[76] It also launched weekend morning newscasts[77] and partnered with WGNT to launch a 10 p.m. newscast on that station—the first in the market.[78] WGNT owner Paramount Stations Group canceled the newscast in December 1997, with its new general manager noting that the station was "in the business of entertainment programming" and "not moving in the direction of news".[79]

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, WTKR remained in third place in local news coverage while experiencing significant and sustained turnover in on-air talent, including a run from 1995 to January 1998 in which 20 on-air staffers departed; some were dismissed by management, while others left citing low morale and fear for their jobs.[80][81] Lyn Vaughn, a former anchor for Headline News, joined the station in 1999 and then left in April 2001.[82]

In 2008, new general manager Jeff Hoffman fired the news director and associate news director. He stated in a press release that his goal was to "Take Norfolk Back!", citing that his station had once been the news leader in Hampton Roads.[83][84] WTKR started the area's first 4 p.m. newscast on September 8, 2009, replacing the weekend morning newscasts.[85] This was the station's second attempt at a newscast during the 4 p.m. hour, after a short-lived 4:30 p.m. newscast in 1995.[86]

After Local TV acquired WGNT, WTKR began introducing newscasts on that station. On August 25, 2011, a two-hour extension of WTKR's weekday morning newscast began airing from 7 to 9 a.m.[87] On July 7, 2014, a half-hour 7 p.m. newscast, the only one in the market at that time, made its debut on WGNT.[88] In 2016, the station added a daily lifestyle program, Coast Live.[89]

By 2023, the station produced 36 hours a week of newscasts[90] plus 10 hours a week of dedicated weekday newscasts (at 7 a.m., 7 p.m., and 10 p.m.) for WGNT.[91]

Notable former on-air staff

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Technical information

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Subchannels

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WTKR's transmitter is located in Suffolk, Virginia.[2] The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WTKR[100]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
3.1 1080i 16:9 CBS Main WTKR programming / CBS
3.2 480i 4:3 Court Court TV
3.3 Bounce Bounce TV
3.4 16:9 HSN HSN
3.5 QVC QVC

Analog-to-digital conversion

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WTKR began digital broadcasts on channel 40 on March 11, 2002.[101] The station discontinued regular programming on its analog signal on June 12, 2009, as part of the digital television transition;[102] the station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 40, using virtual channel 3.[103]

WTKR relocated its signal from channel 40 to channel 16 on July 2, 2020, as a result of the 2016 United States wireless spectrum auction.[104][105]

Eastern Shore translator

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On the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Accomack County owns two translators, W18EG-D and W25AA-D (licensed to Onancock and broadcast from Mappsville), that provide the main channel of WTKR alongside those of WAVY-TV, WVEC, and WHRO-TV.[106][107]

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

WTKR

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
WTKR, branded as News 3, is a CBS-affiliated television station licensed to Norfolk, Virginia, United States, serving the Hampton Roads area including northeastern North Carolina. It signed on the air on April 2, 1950, as WTAR-TV, becoming the first television station in the region and the only one for the initial three years. Owned by the E. W. Scripps Company since 2020, WTKR operates from studios on Boush Street in downtown Norfolk and maintains a transmitter in Suffolk. The station has provided continuous coverage for 75 years, emphasizing , , for its audience, with a particular focus on matters given the area's numerous bases. Its operation, one of the oldest in the market, has included investigative reporting that influenced laws and exonerations. WTKR shares operations with WGNT through a duopoly, though WGNT recently discontinued its affiliation. As a key provider of network programming and syndicated content, it remains a cornerstone of local broadcasting in a market shaped by naval and defense industries.

History

Founding and early operations (1950–1960s)

WTAR-TV, the predecessor to WTKR, signed on the air on April 2, 1950, as the first commercial television station in Norfolk, Virginia, and the broader Hampton Roads region. Operating on VHF channel 4, the station was established by the WTAR Radio Corporation, which also owned the affiliated WTAR radio station (790 AM) and was linked to Norfolk Newspapers, Inc., publishers of the Ledger-Star and Virginian-Pilot. Initially affiliated primarily with NBC, WTAR-TV carried secondary affiliations with ABC and CBS, reflecting the limited number of stations in the market at the time. As the sole television broadcaster in Tidewater for its first three years, it served an audience with approximately 600 television sets in the area, delivering a mix of network programming, local news, and live content from its studios at 720 Boush Street. In September 1953, amid increasing competition following the sign-on of WVEC-TV, WTAR-TV shifted its primary affiliation to , aligning with network strategies and local market dynamics. This change coincided with preparations for a channel shift, as the station relocated to VHF channel 3 in 1954 to optimize signal coverage and reduce interference in the growing media landscape. Under stable ownership by Norfolk Newspapers, early operations emphasized expansion of local programming, including bulletins and community events, while leveraging the radio station's established audience to build viewership. Throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s, WTAR-TV adapted to technological advancements, introducing improved transmission equipment and preparing for color broadcasting by the late decade. The station maintained its focus on comprehensive local coverage, particularly of regional military activities given Norfolk's naval significance, and network fare from CBS, solidifying its role as a key information source amid rising household television adoption. Operations during this era were characterized by live production constraints and a commitment to factual reporting, with news teams documenting events like the Korean War's domestic impacts.

License challenges and initial ownership shifts

In 1967, the corporate structure encompassing WTAR-TV, its sister WTAR-AM/FM radio stations, and the affiliated Virginian-Pilot and Ledger-Star newspapers reorganized as Landmark Communications Inc., consolidating media operations under a single entity focused on Norfolk-area broadcasting and publishing. As WTAR-TV's license came up for renewal, Hampton Roads Television Corp.—formed by Norfolk attorneys Gordon E. Campbell, Wayne Lustig, and I. L. Hancock—filed a competing application with the Federal Communications Commission in September 1969, seeking to supplant Landmark's control of the channel 3 facility. The challengers positioned their bid as superior for community service, proposing to allocate 9.43% of airtime to news programming, 3.01% to public affairs, and 24 hours weekly to locally produced content (including six prime-time hours), with targeted coverage of race relations, police operations, recreation, education, and traffic management. Financial projections in the competing application outlined $1.72 million in construction expenses and $2.75 million in first-year operating costs, offset by anticipated revenues of $3 million, amid a broader wave of renewal challenges scrutinizing incumbent broadcasters' performance in mid-sized markets. WTAR-TV, ranked 12th among 32 mid-Atlantic stations in a contemporaneous performance study, defended its renewal on grounds of established operations dating to 1950, but the filing triggered protracted FCC proceedings that tested the station's adherence to public interest obligations. Landmark retained the license through resolution of the dispute, enabling continued operation until the 1981 divestiture to Knight-Ridder amid FCC cross-ownership restrictions.

Knight-Ridder and Narragansett eras (1970s–1980s)

In 1981, Knight-Ridder Broadcasting Inc. acquired WTAR-TV from Landmark Communications Inc. for $48.3 million, marking a significant ownership transition for the station. The purchase followed federal regulatory approvals after prior license disputes, enabling Knight-Ridder to expand its broadcast holdings in the market. Upon assuming control, the company changed the station's call letters to WTKR, with the "TKR" suffix reflecting its Tidewater location and new ownership by Knight-Ridder. Under Knight-Ridder's stewardship from 1981 to 1989, WTKR maintained its affiliation and continued local programming focused on news, weather, and community events in and surrounding areas. The station operated from its established studios at 720 Boush Street, emphasizing regional coverage amid growing competition from rivals like . In , WTKR's sports coverage earned recognition as the best in by , highlighting strengths in local event reporting such as high school and professional athletics. Knight-Ridder divested its television properties in 1989 as part of a broader corporate strategy to reduce debt and refocus on newspapers, selling WTKR alongside WPRI-TV in Providence, Rhode Island, to Narragansett Television L.P. for $150 million. Narragansett, a Providence-based investment group, assumed ownership in February 1989, retaining WTKR's operational structure and commitments to CBS network programming. This era under Narragansett, though brief within the 1980s timeframe, preserved the station's market position as a top-rated outlet for local news and sports in Hampton Roads.

Local TV, Tribune, and post-2000s transitions

In January 2007, The New York Times Company agreed to sell its broadcast media group, including WTKR, to Oak Hill Capital Partners for approximately $575 million, with the transaction forming Local TV LLC as the operating entity. The sale, which included eight other stations, closed in May 2007 following regulatory approvals, marking Local TV's entry as WTKR's owner and shifting the station to private equity-backed management focused on operational efficiencies. Under Local TV, WTKR emphasized local news expansion, with general manager Bruce Baker initiating the "Take Norfolk Back" campaign in 2008 to prioritize coverage of Norfolk-specific issues amid competition from other Hampton Roads outlets. Local TV's stewardship of WTKR from 2007 to 2013 involved adaptations to digital broadcasting trends, including the station's full transition from analog to digital signals on June 12, 2009, aligning with the national DTV switchover mandated by Congress. This upgrade enabled high-definition programming and multicasting capabilities, with WTKR's digital signal on UHF channel 40 supporting enhanced news delivery and subchannels for syndicated content. During this period, the station also integrated shared services with low-power sister WGNT (channel 27), acquired through a 2010 transaction that consolidated operations in Norfolk-Portsmouth studios, reducing costs while maintaining CBS affiliation primacy. On July 1, 2013, Company announced its $2.725 billion acquisition of Local TV's 19 stations, including WTKR, to create a larger content distribution network reaching over 50% of U.S. television households. The deal received FCC approval on December 20, 2013, after divestitures to address ownership limits, and closed on December 27, 2013, elevating to the nation's largest commercial TV station owner with 42 outlets. Under , WTKR benefited from synergies with 's national syndication arms, such as expanded access to shared resources and digital platforms, though local operations remained autonomous to comply with FCC localism rules.

Aborted Sinclair sale, Nexstar interim, and Scripps acquisition (2010s–2020s)

In May 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced a $3.9 billion agreement to acquire Tribune Media Company, which owned WTKR-TV (channel 3) and its sister station WGNT (channel 27) in the Norfolk–Virginia Beach–Hampton Roads market. The deal aimed to expand Sinclair's reach to approximately 72% of U.S. television households, raising concerns from regulators about excessive market concentration, especially after Sinclair proposed divestitures in overlapping markets that involved retaining operational control through local marketing agreements with third-party buyers. The merger encountered significant opposition from the (FCC), which designated it for hearing in July 2018 over doubts about the adequacy of Sinclair's divestiture plans and potential circumvention of ownership caps. terminated the agreement on August 9, 2018, accusing Sinclair of for inadequate efforts to secure regulatory approval and pursuing a $1 billion against the company. Sinclair withdrew its FCC application shortly thereafter, effectively aborting the transaction amid broader scrutiny of its proposed "sidecar" arrangements that preserved control over divested stations. Following the collapse, entered a definitive merger agreement with on December 3, 2018, valued at $6.4 billion including debt, positioning Nexstar as the largest U.S. local TV station owner. To address antitrust and FCC ownership limits—particularly in the market where Nexstar already owned Fox affiliate WTVZ (channel 33)—Nexstar committed to divesting 19 stations across 14 markets, including WTKR-TV and , for a total of $1.32 billion. On March 20, 2019, Nexstar finalized agreements assigning WTKR-TV and , along with six other stations in six markets, to as part of a $580 million divestiture package required for merger approval. Scripps, which viewed the acquisitions as bolstering its portfolio with strong and affiliates in competitive markets, closed the deal on September 19, 2019, coinciding with the Nexstar-Tribune merger consummation. Under Scripps ownership, WTKR continued affiliation and local news production from shared studios with on Boush Street in , maintaining operational continuity without reported disruptions during the transition.

Recent milestones including 75th anniversary

In 2025, WTKR commemorated its 75th anniversary, marking 75 years since the station's inaugural broadcast as WTAR-TV on April 2, 1950, when it became the first television outlet in the region. The celebrations included retrospective programming highlighting the station's evolution, such as segments on pioneering female journalists like Becky Livas, the first Black woman to serve as a television news reporter in the area, and reflections on technological advancements from bulky film cameras to modern AI-assisted operations. Additional anniversary features focused on the station's weather reporting legacy, which began alongside its launch and continues with and predictive modeling; a dedicated segment aired on , 2025, reviewing 75 years of forecasting for and northeastern . Coverage also emphasized community milestones captured over decades, including royal visits, political events, and infrastructure projects like the $4 billion Bridge-Tunnel expansion, underscoring WTKR's role in documenting regional growth amid military, economic, and environmental shifts. Post-acquisition by in September 2020, WTKR integrated into broader multimedia operations, enhancing digital streaming via apps and over-the-air subchannels while maintaining local focus; this period saw sustained ratings leadership in key demographics, though specific Nielsen data for 2023–2025 reflects competitive pressures from cable and online platforms. No major ownership changes occurred after 2020, with emphasis shifting to content innovation, including expanded investigative series on local governance and .

Programming

Network affiliation and syndication


WTKR signed on the air as WTAR-TV on April 2, 1950, as the first television station in Hampton Roads, initially operating as a primary NBC affiliate on VHF channel 4. In 1954, the station relocated to channel 3 and shifted its primary network affiliation to CBS, a change that aligned with its expanded programming strategy amid growing competition. This CBS affiliation became exclusive in 1957 following the sign-on of WAVY-TV as an ABC affiliate, solidifying WTKR's role as the market's CBS outlet. The station has retained its CBS affiliation uninterrupted since that time. As a CBS affiliate, WTKR broadcasts the network's full primetime, daytime, and weekend schedule, including soaps like and game shows such as . In available fringe and daytime slots outside network programming, the station airs first-run syndicated content, notably the newsmagazine for investigative reports and celebrity news, as well as talk programs like . These syndicated offerings complement and network feeds to fill the broadcast day.

Local non-news programming

Coast Live is WTKR's primary local program, airing weekdays at 9:00 a.m. and focusing on ' coastal culture, including local events, food, entertainment, and community features. Launched in 2016, the show features segments on regional attractions and interviews with local figures, with original host April Woodard receiving Emmy nominations in 2018 and 2020 for her contributions. Through its sister station WGNT (channel 27), WTKR broadcasts select local sports events as non-news programming, emphasizing professional teams in the Hampton Roads area. WGNT airs Norfolk Tides minor league baseball home games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from April through August, beginning with the April 8 matchup against the Gwinnett Stripers in the 2025 season. Additionally, WGNT carries nine Norfolk Admirals ECHL hockey home games during the 2024-25 season, starting in mid-November. These broadcasts provide dedicated coverage of regional athletics outside of news segments.

News operation

Format and operations

WTKR's news department operates under the News 3 branding, delivering fast-paced newscasts that prioritize breaking local stories, updates, reports, politics, and sports coverage for the region and Northeast . The format emphasizes timely, viewer-relevant content produced through a structured involving reporters, producers, and editors who utilize systems to assemble rundowns for broadcast. Newscasts air throughout the day, including extended morning programs, midday updates, and prime-time evening slots at 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 11:00 p.m., often extending to WGNT for additional reach. Leadership of the news operation is provided by Ed Reams, who serves as both and News Director since September 2025, overseeing journalistic standards, staffing, and integration with station management under The ownership. The department maintains studios at 720 Boush Street in downtown , a facility recognized as a by the Department of Historic Resources in June 2014 and upgraded with a new set in September 2016 to improve visual presentation and multimedia integration. Operations have evolved to incorporate advanced technologies, transitioning from cumbersome film cameras to contemporary AI-assisted systems that enhance production efficiency, content distribution across digital platforms, and processing for accurate reporting. This includes high-definition capabilities introduced in the mid-2000s and multi-platform delivery via over-the-air, streaming, and online outlets, ensuring comprehensive coverage while maintaining a focus on empirical local impacts over . The team comprises anchors, meteorologists, reporters, and support staff coordinated for collaborative storytelling, with emphasis on verifiable facts sourced from on-scene investigations and official records.

Investigative reporting and impact

WTKR News 3's investigative team has conducted reporting that exposed systemic failures in public institutions, leading to policy reforms and personnel changes. In 2010, reporter Mike Mather's investigation into the death of Police recruit John Kohn during training revealed inadequate transparency and safety protocols, prompting revisions to police recruit training across and . That same year, Mather's probe into the death of infant Braxton Taylor highlighted lapses by Virginia Beach social workers, resulting in an overhaul of the child welfare system and the dismissal of its director. Subsequent reports addressed environmental and financial accountability issues with tangible outcomes. In 2013, exposed toxic mold problems in military housing, influencing federal funding reallocations for remediation. Margaret Kavanagh's 2023 series on barriers to accessing unclaimed property in spurred legislative simplification of the claims process, enabling easier recovery of over $2 billion in statewide funds. In 2024, investigations into repeat flooding in Virginia Beach homes, understaffed facilities, and excessive speeding enforcement in Eastville contributed to heightened legislative scrutiny, improved inspections, and the firing of a police chief, respectively. The unit has also facilitated reforms through efforts. Anchor and reporter Jessica Larché's examination of Brian Faulcon's 2012 robbery in Chesapeake uncovered mismatched evidence, leading to his release in January 2023 and a gubernatorial . Similar reporting aided the of a man and the release of a Chesapeake coach between 2022 and 2023. Larché received the ' Salute to Excellence award for the Faulcon story, recognizing its role in highlighting wrongful incarceration disparities. These efforts underscore the team's focus on accountability in government, healthcare, and , often prompting direct interventions like leadership shake-ups at the Hampton VA Medical Center in 2024 following patient and staff complaints.

Notable on-air personnel

Becky Livas joined WTAR-TV (predecessor to WTKR) in 1972 as the first Black female television news reporter in , shattering barriers amid challenges like edited-out interviews, and hosted talk shows including "." Ed Hughes anchored for 23 years starting in 1968, covering hurricanes and other major events while mentoring staff as a legend until his death around 2004. Nate Custer reported for 39 years from 1966 to 2005, earning recognition as a news specialist who covered the General Assembly, Watergate, and Richard Nixon's . Andy Roberts served as for 35 years, delivering forecasts via on cardboard in an era predating digital tools. Barbara Hamm Lee advanced to become the first Black female news director in television by 1995, recruiting talent like Barbara Ciara and elevating WTKR's 6 p.m. newscast to number-one ratings. Barbara Ciara anchored weekdays from 2000 until retiring in 2023 after 50 years in overall, forming the station's first all-Black team with Tom Randall in 2001 and contributing to Emmy-winning coverage. Ann Keffer co-anchored the noon news and reported on health topics, working alongside figures like Ed Hughes and Bruce Barry in a collaborative environment. Glenn Corillo (also known as Glenn Corey) anchored from 1978 to 1998, co-anchoring with Ann Keffer and building viewer loyalty through consistent on-air partnerships. Michael Rasnick handled reporting, weather, and sports roles from 1972 to 1985, pioneering live truck usage and stand-up reporting in the region. Jessica Larché has anchored evenings and reported investigatively since joining in 2010, earning regional for her work.

Technical information

Subchannels and multiplexing

WTKR's digital signal operates on virtual channel 3, multiplexed via ATSC 1.0 to deliver five subchannels over RF channel 16 following the FCC's 2017 spectrum repack, which relocated the allocation from UHF channel 40 in 2020. The primary subchannel broadcasts network and local programming in high definition, while secondary subchannels carry syndicated networks focused on courtroom drama, African American-oriented entertainment, and . Bitrate allocation prioritizes the main channel at up to 13 Mbps for video, with secondary channels ranging from 0.55 to 5.05 Mbps.
Virtual channelRF subchannelProgrammingResolutionAspect ratioAudio format
3.116.3 (NewsChannel 3)
3.216.4
3.316.5
3.416.6
3.516.7
The station initiated on March 11, 2002, initially on channel 40, enabling multiplexing capabilities that expanded viewer access to additional content beyond the analog CBS feed, which ceased on June 12, 2009. Subchannel lineups have evolved under successive owners, shifting from networks like and in prior years to the current configuration emphasizing niche and shopping services under ownership since 2020.

Analog-to-digital transition

WTKR broadcast its primary on VHF channel 3 from a transmitter site in . The station initiated digital transmissions on UHF channel 40, as assigned during the Federal Communications Commission's initial channel allotment proceedings in the late . This allowed WTKR to provide limited digital programming, including high-definition content, while maintaining full analog simulcasting to ensure continuity for viewers without digital receivers. The full transition culminated on June 12, 2009, when WTKR ceased analog operations at midday, aligning with the nationwide shutdown of full-power analog signals mandated by via the Digital Television Delay Act. Post-transition, the station's digital signal on channel 40 employed (PSIP) to display as 3.1, preserving channel numbering familiarity for audiences. WTKR did not participate in the FCC's temporary Analog Nightlight program, which permitted limited analog service for viewer education in select markets. The switch enhanced signal efficiency, enabling multicast subchannels and improved coverage without the spectrum constraints of analog VHF broadcasting.

Transmitter and signal coverage

WTKR's transmitter facility is situated in the northwest portion of , as part of a shared tower site serving multiple broadcasters in the region. The primary tower at this location, recognized as the tallest antenna structure in southeastern , supports transmissions for WTKR alongside stations such as WHRO-TV and WGNT-TV. The station broadcasts its digital signal on RF channel 40 (virtual channel 3) with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 950 kilowatts at a height above average terrain (HAAT) of 377 meters (1,237 feet). This configuration includes an above-ground level (AGL) height of approximately 1,226 feet and an above mean sea level (AMSL) elevation of 1,249 feet, with a 0.75-degree electrical beam tilt. Signal coverage extends to a primary contour of 64.2 miles in radius, encompassing roughly 12,965 square miles and an estimated population of 2,214,323 viewers, primarily within the Norfolk–Portsmouth–Newport News designated market area (DMA). The broadcast reliably reaches urban centers including Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, and Suffolk, with reception quality influenced by terrain, atmospheric conditions, and viewer antenna capabilities; marginal areas may require directional antennas for optimal over-the-air pickup.

Translators and extenders

To extend WTKR's over-the-air signal to the , where direct reception from the station's transmitter is obstructed by the , Accomack County operates two digital low-power translators licensed to Onancock. These facilities, W18EG-D (RF channel 18) and W25AA-D (RF channel 25), transmit from a tower in Mappsville and rebroadcast signals from stations, including WTKR on subchannel 3 ( mapping to affiliation). The translators provide WTKR's primary programming on 18.3 and 25.3, alongside subchannels for affiliate (10.1/10), ABC affiliate WVEC-TV (13.1/13), and member WHRO-TV (15.4/15), enabling rural households in Accomack County to access network television without cable or service. Accomack County's Translator Television system, established in 1979 for analog rebroadcasts, transitioned to digital formats post-2009 FCC mandate, with these facilities serving as key extenders for multiple networks amid limited commercial infrastructure on the peninsula. WTKR itself holds no FCC-licensed translators, relying on such third-party municipal operations for supplemental coverage beyond its primary DMA footprint.

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